One Last Job
by Onatu
Summary: An Abomasnow, retired and growing bored with life, is called to handle a situation in the north. He reluctantly goes, but upon arrival is challenged by something far greater than anything he faced before. In the end, will he succeed and be reinvigorated? Or will he be crushed by the challenge?


"C'mon, Ivan."

"No."

"If you'd jus' gimme a minute of your time -"

The hulking abomasnow known as Ivan sighed heavily, his body bristling in irritation as he turned around to face the pokémon following him. The haxorus appeared uncharacteristically desperate as he pleaded. Grimacing, Ivan motioned for his friend to continue.

"Okay, I promise you won't be regrettin' this," the haxorus began, breaking out into a toothy grin. "So, Union's gotta new mission. Class S, up in the north. Way north."

This seemed to catch the abomasnow's attention. Relaxing, he let his arms fall to the side.

"Class S. Is interesting…but where exactly are you saying? In Jagged Peaks? Or even further?" The ice type's thick accent was rough as he spoke, but he was definitely gaining interest.

The haxorus' grin spread wider. He knew Ivan couldn't resist something like this. The abomasnow was only too eager to go for the toughest of missions, especially in his home territory. Pulling a notice from his bag, the haxorus brought it up to Ivan's eyes.

"Yep, Jagged Peaks. Apparently somethin' big has the locals spooked. Say they think the mountains are movin' or somethin'. I senta newbie Peacemaker up about two weeks back, but haven' heard from the kid since. So, I figure you'da definitely take the job."

Ivan's eyes said it all: there was clear desire, but something was still holding him back. Sighing, he pushed the paper away.

"Damon, I retired. Am not Peacemaker anymore, just old tree. You can find easy replacement for job."

Damon wasn't about to let this drop so easily. "But thas jus' it! You are one of the best! Most of the others in Union couldn' even begin to do the work you do!"

"Why not Marie? Or Riley? They could handle cold and get job done."

"Ivan, you know jus' as much as I do tha' those two are out on a mission on the other side of the continent right now. Union's always been stretched thin across the continents, you know that. Defendin' Pokémon in areas of high conflict or investigatin' serious stuff like this makes it difficult to find more help." Ivan continued giving his friend a look of frustration. The haxorus groaned in exasperation, about at his wits' end.

"Tell you what: do this last job. For me, aight? Then you stay in retirement, enjoy your golden years, and you never hear from Union again. Sound good?"

Ivan eyed the haxorus warily. Damon was a good friend, but the dragon had a hard time letting things go, especially when it came to valuable Peacemakers. Seeing none, he warily brought a hand forward to shake with Damon's clawed paw.

"Is fine. I do job, then I leave for good," Ivan said simply. "Now is time for leaving so I can prepare. Thank you for keeping me in mind. But Damon…don't make me come back again."

"You have my word, Ivan," said the haxorus. Nodding slightly, the dragon-type shuffled towards the door of Ivan's small home. He left without another word, leaving Ivan to think things through. Grumbling, the old tree put his branch-like arms against his face.

"Great. Weekend just starting wonderfully now."

* * *

In the days that followed, Ivan had quickly packed and left his home in the tropics to head northward. After a voyage across the sea by lapras ferry, he arrived in the northern continent. It was a harsh environment there, built for only the toughest of pokémon. A large majority of the land was tundra and mountain, with the Jagged Peaks being the first and most prominent of the snow-covered ranges. Smiling at the promising terrain ahead, Ivan shifted his pack a bit before continuing on his journey.

A quick layover in a coastal town had done wonders to prepare him for the rest of the journey. Reenergized and well-stocked, the abomasnow looked to the Jagged Peaks earnestly. Few pokémon seemed to be traveling at the time, and the few that were wanted to escape the mountains entirely.

"The mountains have come alive…they won't allow us to intrude any longer," a camerupt merchant had said cryptically when stopped by Ivan. It appeared willing to say no more than that, instead remaining more concerned with escaping. Ivan let it hurry along, not wanting to keep the disturbed Pokémon any longer.

Leaving the camel behind, Ivan turned his attention to the job at hand. There definitely was something wrong in the Jagged Peaks, especially if it was causing pokémon to abandon their homes. The nearest town in the Jagged Peaks wasn't far from him, though night would have long since fallen by the time he arrived.

"Best be moving then," he grunted. Pulling a rawst berry from his pack, he absently munched on the small fruit as he continued walking down the frosted path.

He didn't run into many other pokémon along the way. Any he did see were keener on leaving than striking up conversation. He was almost worried about the state of the next town until he caught sight of smoke. At least, he hoped it was a good sign. Even as the sunlight faded and the moon shone through the wisps of clouds, the smoke flowed enough to remain visible.

Adding a bit more hustle to his step, Ivan made good time as he walking through the snow-covered path to the town up ahead. The smoke and light gradually grew more apparent, and to his relief there were still signs of life in the lit-up houses. Passing a sign a short ways outside of town, Ivan could just make out the words "Frostbite Outpost" in the worn and ice coated post. As he wandered the streets enjoying the sights, he couldn't help notice the eerie lack of pokémon outside. He wasn't out for long before the silence was broken.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" a gruff voiced called out in an unusually hushed tone. Ivan's head sprang up and he came to a halt. Looking nearby, he saw the door of a nearby cottage slightly ajar. The head of a stoutland peeked outward at the elder ice type, carefully looking around the dimly lit town as if something might jump out at any given moment.

"I am searching for place to stay for night. I am Peacemaker, come to take care of problem I am told lies in mountains." The stoutland huffed skeptically as Ivan's response.

"Peacemaker, huh? Didn't they send one of yours up here already?" the dog inquired, but continued before Ivan could respond. "Course, fat load of good that did for us. No one's heard from them since, and the mountains are still upheaving and harming countless innocents! And you just think you're going to be able to come in and solve the issue, is that it?"

Ivan stood strong, unfazed by the normal type's whispered rant. Casting a glance into the dark mountains surrounding the town, he wasn't able to see anything out of the ordinary. He figured that'd be the first thing to check once morning came. At the moment however, he'd need to figure a few things out.

"Yes, I will solve issue. How, I will figure out" he said in a firm yet quiet response to the stoutland. Taking a few steps towards the open door, he hardened his expression further. "Now, is it possible for me to stay the night? It is quite cold, even for ice type. I will not be bother."

After a few quick glances around the town and a heavy sigh the stoutland eventually stepped aside. Pushing the door completely open, a warm glow from inside fell onto Ivan's frozen white fur and began to already warm his body.

"Get inside, but hurry now. The cold isn't the only thing to worry about in the north these days," the stoutland said. Ivan nodded his understanding and lumbered through the doorway and into the simple home. Looking around he saw a small fireplace from which the light and warmth was sourced, as well as a few other things including straw bedding, some storage crates, and an assortment of knick-knacks. The stoutland harrumphed and walked back towards the fire, where a book lay open nearby.

"You can sleep wherever you can find space. This isn't the best of places to rest I imagine, but then again I wasn't expecting a guest."

"Is fine, I don't need much for sleep. Or much for anything," Ivan replied simply. Taking off his bag, he set it against one of the walls of the house and sat near it. The home was small enough that the fire was able to warm it quite comfortably already, meaning he didn't need to get too close to the discomforting fire. While he had learned to deal with his weakness over years of duty, instinct wasn't something one could get rid of so easily.

While Ivan tried to make himself comfortable in his seated position, the stoutland had already returned to his place near the fire and began to read from his book once again. Finding the dog to not be interested in starting conversation, Ivan cleared his throat slightly before speaking again.

"I am wanting to thank you for your hospitality. It was kind of you to do, and it will not be forgotten by-"

"I don't need to hear your piece, I get it. I couldn't leave a pokémon out there to deal with neither frost nor the ferals."

Originally surprised by the interruption, Ivan's expression softened as he looked to the seated stoutland. He nodded his agreement, even his host wasn't able to see it.

"Yes, I am familiar with dangers. Still, I am to be thanking you. I'll be out of hair in morning, and with luck I will have problem solved soon. Maybe day, maybe few days." The stoutland scoffed at this, turning his head to look back at Ivan.

"I'd love to see that. Union sent one kid, and they die! Now they send an old-timer, and he's bound to be a goner too! They must think this is just a joke, just one big joke, huh? Does it hurt to know you've been sent to your death, abomasnow? Because I'm almost certain you can't handle what's out there!" The stoutland's sudden shouts caught Ivan off guard, and he almost had to take a moment as he thought through the words of both Damon and the normal type in front of him. He had to admit, it did seem somewhat odd, but he was certain it was nothing. At least, most of it was probably nothing. Just one part didn't sit well with him however.

"I am very serious. I will take care of problem, but you tell me just what is cause of problem in first place. What am I not being able to handle?"

The stoutland sighed and shook his head. Picking up his book and walking over to the Peacemaker, he sat down again with the book between the two. He pawed at the pages until he reached a section labeled "Arceus' Will." Looking up at the ice type with a hardened expression, the stoutland nosed the page he had turned to.

"You're familiar with this, correct? Arceus and its league of Legendaries, those who the Creator made or allowed to join it, each having influence on the world. Some gods, others minor deities with powers still beyond any normal pokémon." Ivan found himself nodding, himself quite familiar with the stories about Arceus and the Legendaries. Pokémon of immense power and influence on the world, some of which haven't been seen in centuries.

"Okay, and point is being?"

"That's just it," the stoutland began, a slight smirk forming on his muzzle. "One of them has gone rogue for whatever reason. It's going through the Jagged Peaks on a rampage, tearing apart everything that gets in its way. I haven't seen it, but that's what I'm guessing. Anyone fleeing the mountains that came through here told me its power is beyond comprehension."

"But you have no proof? You don't know what it might be?" Ivan's inner skeptic was coming out. It was unheard of! A Legendary going rogue and causing issues, but not a soul being able to confirm what it was? Outrageous!

"I would hope I'm wrong, but nothing else is making sense right now. What else could make the mountains quake like they have, or send pokémon fleeing for their lives in such numbers? Nothing I've heard of, I'll say that much. And yet Union will blissfully ignore the possibilities and send only their weak in hopes that they don't need to waste valuable funds. I'm right, aren't I?"

Ivan grimaced at the jab. He wasn't weak by any means, even in his old age. Looks were certainly deceiving, but he wasn't about to waste time correcting the stoutland. Still, the dog was right about one thing. Union didn't want its top active agents in the field unless it was a grave matter concerning entire regions. The money that went into keeping these agents active was exorbitant to say the least, so the organization found sending out their weaker, cheaper members still got the job done. Sure more lives were likely lost that way, but they were argued to be less damaging than the financial hit Union would suffer from sending out its best more frequently. It was something he was more than familiar with, and admittedly part of why he took this job in the first place. Someone retired would be compensated, sure, but compared to what he made as an active member? He might be able to buy a week of food from this mission. So why did he even bother?

Grumbling, the tree nodded his reply. As much as he didn't want to admit, the stoutland had a good point. However, he couldn't just let it go from there.

"Even so, if not Union, even more pokémon be dying or hurt, yes? Other organizations exist, but not effective like Union. You prefer if pokémon sit back and do nothing? You prefer I just leave now, and hope beast does not come, does not destroy your home?" The stoutland's demeanor immediately shifted, his face falling as he heard Ivan's retort.

"Hrmm…I'll give you that. Tell you what," the dog closed the book, taking a deep breath as he did so. "Let's quit babbling about who's right and who's wrong. Your business is your own and I needn't criticize you for what good you and your lot do. Anyways, I'll be getting to bed now. Leave the fire, it'll be fine how it is. If I don't see you in the morning, I'll know where you've gone off to."

With that, the normal type slowly padded over to his bedding, falling onto his side and facing away from Ivan. The ice type listened until the dog's breathing quickly grew shallower, a sure sign he had fallen asleep. Happy to have some silence and be free from debate, Ivan turned to watch the fire burn brightly in its place, the flames slowly fading as it expended its fuel. Entranced by it, he thought of the stoutland's words and hoped the dog was wrong about a lot of things. If not, then this mission was going to be a lot worse than expected. By the time it was nothing more than hot coals the ice type had already propped his head against his bag, eyes heavily drooped before allowing sleep to take him.

* * *

It was just as calm as the night before when Ivan woke. Judging from the windows outside, it was hardly past dawn thanks to the early morning light filtering through. Taking a few moments to wake up and stretch out his worn joints, Ivan strapped on his bag before taking a look around. His host was still asleep, the hound appearing to have tossed around quite a bit in his sleep. With a slight nod, the ice type began to make his exit. Before he could open the door however, a slight yawn from behind caused him to pause.

"Hmm…mornin'," the stoutland sleepily called out. He yawned again and rolled onto his stomach, taking a bleary look at the abomasnow at his door.

"I take it you're leaving then? Deeper into the mountains, I take it, rather than run away with your life intact?" Ivan couldn't help laughing at the comment, knowing it'd take a lot more than a few words to change the dog's mind.

"I must. Is job I signed up for, is job I do. So other pokémon might live without problem. Perhaps you not understand, but is okay. Just know, I won't be dying here. Not even to a god."

The Stoutland laughed as well. "I know there's nothing to change your mind. It's funny really, because I ran into the kid they sent last time. A sawk of all pokémon. Poor kid was eager and willing to do his duty, I'll give him that. But he was too confident. Maybe I'll be proven wrong about you. I'd like to be shut up for once."

"Then I be sure to come back. Just for shutting you up."

At this point the stoutland had made his way to Ivan. The dog was shaking his head with a big grin on his face, unable to resist smiling at the comment. "I'll look forward to that. If you come back through, just ask around town for Louis. If I'm out for whatever reason, just send the message that I was wrong. I'm sure I'll get it."

After another chuckle, Ivan pulled open the door and began to leave. As much as he enjoyed the chat, he knew it was important to get going.

"Well, I be looking for you soon, Louis. Expect it."

With that, Ivan began his trek once again and ventured into the dimly lit frozen landscape. He didn't know how much further it would be before he found what he was looking for, but he had a feeling it wouldn't be long. Either that or the shaking feeling in his bones was from the cold. Almost definitely the former, especially after realizing the ridiculousness of the idea.

Grunting as he continued along the path deeper into the Jagged Peaks, Ivan began to wonder about things. Was he really beginning to feel scared? Sure Louis' words had gotten to him slightly, but why should he be worried? At one time he was one of the best Peacemakers Union had to offer, and it hadn't been that long since retirement began. Still, the idea of another Peacemaker, even a rookie, falling to whatever was out there…it was unnerving. Peacemakers didn't die on the job all that often, no matter the skill level. Whatever was out there was a major threat indeed. As much as Ivan was afraid to face the future, he knew the sooner he found the source of thee trouble and took care of it, the better.

* * *

It had been several hours of travel. Frostbite Outpost was well behind Ivan, leaving the darkened ice and snow-covered frontier ahead. Already the sun was beginning towards the horizon, an unfortunate effect of being so far north. It was likely there would be no true shelter from here on out, so Ivan knew it would be best to find a tree or a cave to take refuge in later that night. He wasn't in any hurry though, so finding something could wait a few more hours.

Ivan didn't travel much further before a small earthquake caused his body to tremble slightly. Being on the loose mountainside that he was, Ivan braced himself, readying any need to plant roots and hang tightly to the earth. When nothing more happened, he relaxed and began to walk along the path again. Another temblor shook however, this time slightly stronger than before. Bracing again, the ice type readied for the worst. Again, nothing happened.

He was becoming paranoid at this point. Quickly looking all around him, Ivan tried to find any pokémon in the area that might have been the source of the growing earthquakes. The multitudes of trees and the mountains beyond made this nearly impossible however, leaving Ivan sitting blind. Another earthquake shook, this one the strongest so far. Ivan gripped the earth, feeling the rocks and snow around him begin to give way and slide down the mountainside. Avalanches on other mountains began to fall as well, the roar of their falls almost overshadowing another sound echoing through the mountains.

Ivan perked his head up in alarm. He knew he heard something else, but he didn't recognize it. He held onto the ground as well as he could, waiting for a short while before the ground stopped moving. Another earthquake occurred, followed by what sounded like breaking branches. More earthquakes and a rhythmic thumping sound seemed to echo through the area. The tree-like pokémon thought it might have been footsteps, but it didn't seem right. Whatever was making those steps had to be gigantic in order to make that much noise.

Ivan scrambled up the slope as quickly as he could. Rocks and snow were flung back as he hastily made his way up, trying to both get a better view of what was coming and hopefully get out of its way. He didn't need to travel far before another quake interrupted the silent wilderness, with the thumping sounding far closer as well. Turning around, Ivan tried to get a good view of the mountains beyond. While it wasn't the best vantage point, he couldn't complain with what he was able to see.

Coming from further north and moving rather quickly was a monster if he ever saw one. Titanic in size, it dwarfed the trees it stepped onto. Ivan couldn't help but wonder if its feet looked the way they did because of all the trees, or if they had fur like pine trees. Looking further up the behemoth, he saw the skin was a stark white, blending in well with the snow around it. Patches of black fur seemed to be splattered along the legs and arms, adding an odd pattern to the body. More patches of tree-like fur were atop its body, sandwiched between strange golden plates like armor. The largest plate seemed to span down its body, with black dots appearing like eyes, since it seemed to lack a proper head. And last but not least, more eye-like spots dotted along its stomach in a variety of colors, none appearing to blink as the creature marched through the mountains, crushing everything in its path.

Ivan paled at the sight. Was this really the source of the problems? It wouldn't surprise him. Based on appearance alone, he could see why pokémon were claiming the mountains had come to life. This creature practically looked the part of a walking mountain! Knowing he needed to do something, he reasoned his first plan of action would be trying to make contact. It was a longshot, but perhaps this thing could be reasoned with.

Barreling down the mountain, Ivan tried to reach the massive pokémon before it passed him by. The thing continued its movement during his run down, but thankfully it had held off on creating larger earthquakes. As he finally made it close to the pokémon, Ivan sprang ahead of it and tried waving the beast down.

"Please be excusing me! I am with Union, come to investigate occurrences in north! Have you been troubling pokémon in these mountains?" the ice type shouted ahead, trying to be heard over the rumbling footsteps of the massive pokémon. Instead of any kind of response, the thing continued lumbering forward. It appeared have either completely ignored Ivan's question or it didn't hear him. As it came closer, Ivan cleared his throat. He'd keep yelling until he was heard, even if it took the rest of the evening and into the night.

He didn't need to shout again however, as the pokémon quickly halted its movement just as it was coming upon Ivan. Leaning over, the mountain-like pokémon seemed to almost vibrate as a loud, echoing voice emanated from it.

"Step aside, abomasnow," it boomed. "Allow me to pass so I may continue my patrol, as is Arceus' Will."

Ivan scoffed. He thought back to what Louis had mentioned the night before about this, but couldn't believe the dog had been right. "Arceus' Will, really? And what is that?"

The pokémon in front of him seemed to pause, as if considering things. Then slowly, it began to seat itself, letting its legs cross before linking its hands in its lap. The six eye-like spots flashed a few times and the pokémon began to vibrate again.

"Yes. Arceus' Will commands all under Its rule to play their role in the world. Ensure balance of spirit, space, and time. Allow no unjust acts to go unpunished. And so I continue my patrol, scouring the land for any signs of treachery against Its Will and ensuring balance remains. I'm honestly surprised you are not familiar with it."

"I may not be familiar, but what if you are not doing job right?"

Ivan's question appeared to catch the larger pokémon off guard. Its six spots glowed brightly as it leaned in towards the ice type. "Are you insinuating I am failing my mission?" it asked in a low echo, the disgust clear in its voice.

Ivan felt his breath catch in his throat. He was playing a dangerous game. Already he had been foolish enough to confront this pokémon, something clearly powerful to begin with. Now, knowing it was definitely one of the Legendaries, he continued to question it and test its patience. He stared down the pokémon in front of him, eyes squinted in the bright light as he came up with a response.

"While I am believing you are doing mission as before, I also am believing you have lost touch. Let me first say that reason I am even here is because I was told something was disturbing pokémon of Jagged Peaks. Is where we are now."

"I'm very well aware of our location, abomasnow," the Legendary interrupted.

"Is good. I am not sure how long mountains have been known as that."

If the Legendary could have narrowed its eyes, it would have. Instead, it seemed to just light up even brighter at this, almost as if it were alarmed by the news. "Just what are you saying?"

"What I am saying," Ivan began. "Is I am believing you have been inactive for long time. Centuries, is probable."

The lights immediately shut off from the larger pokémon. In fact, it almost seemed like the gigantic being had fallen asleep. It remained sitting there, unmoving, for what felt like ages before it began to vibrate again.

"So. What you are telling me is that I have been inactive for centuries?"

"It would be jist of things. I am not knowing why though," Ivan replied with a shrug. He didn't know what more he could say. The Legendary seemed determined to keep at its task, but this news definitely troubled it. The abomasnow figured he could only try to reason with it and hopefully avoid confrontation.

"Besides, pokémon like me have been in business of doing job for you. Which is why I am here in first place."

The larger pokémon began to laugh at this, the sound of it seeming almost hollow. Ivan didn't know what to think of this, but he remained where he was in hopes he might get an explanation. Was there really something that hilarious about pokémon doing their part to keep the world at peace?

"Other pokémon have been maintaining Arceus' Will, really now?" the Legendary asked in between the echoes of its laughs. "And they're like you? Just going about, taking care of anything they view as a threat?"

"Well…of course!"

"And you assume I am a threat to be dealt with? That is why you are here?"

"Dah. Pokémon have been reporting problems in mountains, that mountains have come alive and forced them out. You fit description quite well I would say. All you need say is if you have been forcing pokémon out of homes. And more importantly: did you kill a sawk?" The lights on the other pokémon lit up at this, and Ivan could almost feel the glower being sent his way.

"And if I have?" it asked. "You do not properly understand Arceus' Will. There is a balance to be maintained, and I am to ensure of that. The pokémon that lived in these mountains desecrated the lands and failed to maintain proper worship of Arceus. Their presence was a blight that needed to be ousted from this land. And if that is an example of the rest of this world, I will only do what is right and remind them of their place."

"Worship?" Ivan asked in bewilderment. He received a curt nod from the Legendary.

"Yes. The pokémon of the world should praise and be grateful for what they have been given by Arceus. They should also offer a tribute of harvest and…their criminals. Those that refuse to change to fit the ideals."

"But nothing like that has existed in long time! Not a pokémon today would know what you ask, and they would resist! We have moved on! Some worship, yes, but tribute? Of criminals? We imprison and help, not end them! Arceus must understand times have changed!"

"Perhaps. However, I am not the one who makes the rules. I just follow the orders I was given from the beginning. And I shall maintain them…unless you can prove me wrong through combat." Ivan raised an eyebrow at this. Just what was the Legendary trying to get at?

"Combat you say? For what reason?"

"Simple: if you can best me, I shall leave knowing the world is actually in capable hands. I can sense your intent within your heart. You've lead a long life filled with battle and have done much for your fellow pokémon. You and the others in your so-called 'Union' have done your best to ensure the world remains at peace, I am sure. It is admirable, and perhaps change can be proven to work." The titanic Legendary had stood up at this point, looking skyward as the moon began to shine.

"But, I want solid proof. Show me through your blood and sweat that the ideals you've sworn your life to actually have bearing! Show me that this future world of yours has created something far better than the world I last knew!"

"So be it," Ivan said solemnly. "I had been hoping to avoid fight, but if I must, then I shall. I will be showing you what is right."

"I will enjoy this, abomasnow. If it really has been centuries since I last walked, I look forward to the challenge I hope you bring to me!" The Legendary then bowed respectfully, something which almost caught Ivan off guard. He quickly bowed back, hoping to have not further angered the Legendary.

"Arceus dubbed me Regigigas, the titan of titans," the Legendary began. "It was the work of mine and my sons which helped protect the pokémon during the ancient battle of Kyogre and Groudon. Abomasnow, I wish you the best of luck."

"Not 'abomasnow.' I am Ivan, a former Peacemaker of the organization known as Union. Our members are active around world, working to prevent conflict. Conflict such as what you have caused."

Ivan then set down his bag before shifting into a more battle-ready stance. He knew he was at a slight disadvantage thanks to the setting of the sun, but he knew he could still pull off a trick from the light of the moon, one which could even the odds in this battle. Taking a more active role in absorbing the light shining down, as well as feeding on what nutrients he could pull from the soil, Ivan felt the effects of his technique already taking place.

"Now what do we have here?" Regigigas' voice boomed with an edge of amusement. "I can't say I have ever seen a pokémon try pulling off quite what you're doing here!"

"Is because pokémon have not tried using abilities to such extent!" Ivan shouted in response as his body changed, transforming the raw energy and nutrients into what chemically amounted to a temporary power boost, but physically made him grow. The abomasnow continued taking in the energy as his height increased dramatically, quickly closing in on Regigigas' size. When he came close enough to the titanic Legendary, Ivan stopped the flow of energy. He took a deep breath as he felt the surge of power, promising what he hoped was enough to take on the Legendary ahead.

"Now I am ready."

"Then show me!" Regigigas shouted. It rushed forward with surprising speed, clearing the short distance between the two in no time at all. Its body practically glowed with energy as it grabbed Ivan and picked him up with no effort. The abomasnow could hardly react to the situation before he was thrown into the closest mountain. His heavy body slammed into the rocky face, flattening trees and sending a mixture of rock and snow tumbling down the side.

"I might be underestimating power of you," Ivan grunted as he picked himself off of the ground. With a quick push on his back he felt it crack a few times, relieving some of the pain from the hit. Regigigas only stood by as it watched, its lights continuing to blaze through the night.

"Perhaps you have. It is not too late to stand down however, if you wish to survive this. I do not want to prematurely end your life, abomasnow."

"Please, I have lived enough lives already," Ivan retorted. "I have nothing but retirement to lose in fighting you. And I get feeling retirement is not fun like this."

"Have it your way then!" Regigigas ran at Ivan once again, though noticeably slower this time. Ivan side-stepped the Legendary and fired a few shots of solid ice at the golem, each shot shattering on its side and causing a few scrapes on its body. Regigigas turned around and seemed to wince from the attacks, but pulled himself together as he stared down Ivan.

"You learn quickly. Good, I had hoped you wouldn't let me have this so easily."

"Like I would be able to forgive self!" Regigigas seemed to chuckle at the comment.

"Good, looks like we're on the same page."

The Legendary golem began to rush Ivan once again, pummeling the landscape underfoot as it moved. Unlike before however, it began to almost zig-zag its pattern as both of its fists lit up. One burst into flames while the other seemed to crackle with arcs of electricity. Ivan's eyes widened, not from the site of the fire attack but from the fact that Regigigas had managed to use two elements simultaneously, something thought impossible. He raised his arms to guard his face and upper body just as the Legendary began swinging.

"I see you're surprised, but you shouldn't be! Once again I say, behold the power of a Legendary! This is what Arceus' Will has granted its servants!" It came in with another set of swings, each landed punch managing to push Ivan back a bit. As the last punch was about to come in fully charged with electricity, Ivan managed to grab the arm and pull. Twisting his body to keep the momentum, Ivan flung Regigigas across the landscape and into another mountain. The Legendary groaned as it practically crushed the mountain with its weight and sent rubble all around it.

Ivan wasted no time in letting his opponent recover, taking the chance to race over to where the stunned Legendary lay. Channeling part of his body's energy into his arms, Ivan jumped at Regigigas and slammed it with his green arms, the energy surging out to enhance the hit. The Legendary audibly yelled out in pain from the attack, as it only forced the golem further into the ground where the jagged remains of the mountain had already been digging into its body.

"I am willing to stop if you will be backing off," Ivan offered as he stood over the fallen Legendary. He could only hear the heavy breathing of the pokémon for a time, with no kind of response being offered at first. Before the abomasnow could give up on the situation, he heard Regigigas groan out its pain response.

"No…I won't. I cannot. You have no right to stop me!" it roared. With new life Regigigas sprang to its feet, the spirit for battle seeming to have returned. It began pummeling Ivan with punch after punch, each fist burning brightly with fire as it singed through the fur covering the abomasnow. Even with his training, the flames managed to weaken Ivan immensely.

For that he was grateful when the punches began to let up, their power dying as the flames fizzled out. Regigigas actually appeared to have weakened even more from using the attacks, its breathing having run ragged. The Legendary pokémon knew that being in hibernation for so long must have rendered it weak from lack of using its body. It didn't have much time left to fight in top form, so it had to finish the battle quickly.

"I am done with this nonsense!" it yelled. "I shall end it here, and leave you to be the example for the rest of the world. Thank you, Ivan, but this fight is over!"

With a roar, Regigigas grabbed Ivan's arms. Sending an immense amount of energy through its arms, it began crushing the ice type's arms in its grip. Ivan yelled in pain as he began to feel arms break under the pressure. He tried to think through the pain, but it was too intense for anything more than desperation. Trying anything to get the Legendary to let go, Ivan tried to use his control of ice to freeze his body and the air around him. He hoped the even colder temperatures would be enough to cause Regigigas to back off.

It didn't take much it seemed, as even when his arms finally snapped in the golem's grasp, the pokémon instantly let go and tried to scrape off the layers of ice that had begun to form around its fingers and around its arms and legs.

Ivan was panting as hard as the Legendary ahead of him, the two seemingly at their limits already. They had given it their all from the start, both hoping to end things quickly but finding their opponent was capable of a lot more than expected. The abomasnow tried to ignore the searing pain of his broken arms, finding that to be a monumental task in and of itself.

He looked over at the Legendary, realizing the titan had yet to attack again. The lights on its body had faded considerably, and Ivan could definitely hear its heavy breaths over the sound of ice being scraped from its body.

"It was good effort," Ivan gasped out, somehow managing a slight grin in the darkness despite things. "But even now you are desperate. You about losing and you know it." Regigigas's lights grew brighter, if only for a moment, as its attention was drawn to Ivan.

"You don't know the extent of my power."

"No, but I know exhausted pokémon when I see one," Ivan countered. Regigigas sighed, though whether it was from frustration or exhaustion, Ivan didn't know.

"Your arms are broken, and your spirit is nearly so. You can't do much more to harm me and you know I'll only break you further if you try." Ivan managed to cough out a laugh at this.

"And that is where you are being wrong. I will win fight now. I will prove it."

Ivan rushed at the Legendary, even as his arms hung uselessly at his sides. Throwing his whole body forward, he managed to completely overtake Regigigas with a slam to the side. The golem was pushed away, sprawling across the ground on its "face." As it struggled to pull itself to its feet, Ivan began readying another attack. Once again utilizing his powers he froze the air ahead, dropping the temperatures drastically as he generated more ice around him. The effect spread rapidly, freezing Regigigas to the core as more and more ice began to coat around the Legendary and made it difficult to move. It felt its body becoming heavy, and its limbs becoming quickly useless as it lost its energy and submitted to the encroaching ice.

When he was satisfied with his work, Ivan slowly walked over to the Regigigas. The lights had gone out on the Legendary and hardly it made any sign of moving. Even for its actions, Ivan still took pity on his opponent. It had been confused and only did what it thought was right, after all. More so, the Legendary was an incredible fighter and more than a good matchup for him. It might have been foolish, but the abomasnow felt he owed the golem something for their battle.

Deciding on his next actions, Ivan pushed some of the energy he gained into his arms, rapidly healing his broken bones. While they were still somewhat weak, he was able to use them well enough now. He began to carefully scrape ice off of Regigigas' body and was able to remove most of it fairly easily, using his control of the frost to remove the rest from the skin of the golem.

By now the moon was well overhead, the night having passed quickly during their battle. Ivan stood by as he waited for the pokémon to revive. It wasn't long, but the abomasnow still breathed a sigh of relief when the breathing of the Legendary picked up a bit. The lights on its face began to glow warmly as the life seemed to return to the golem.

"Hmm…I lost, didn't I?" it asked softly, the words almost lost in the echo of its own voice. Ivan helped it up into a sitting position, and then took his place in front of the massive Legendary.

"You did," Ivan said equally softly. "But you fought well. Made me feel more alive than I have in past couple of years, I will be giving you that!"

Regigigas chuckled, far more brightly at this point. "I suppose I can take comfort in that. I had thought I could win quickly, but it seems my own body was the enemy in this fight. Being asleep for so long…it leaves a pokémon rusty, no matter how powerful they are."

"It is understandable. But feel not bad. Instead, celebrate for lively battle!"

"So I will," Regigigas answered simply. "Thank you for this. As I agreed, I will leave the world as it is. Your will won out over mine, so perhaps even Arceus' Will could be…reconsidered."

"I would be hoping so. And, what will you be doing now?"

Regigigas sighed. It hadn't thought about what it would do if it had lost the battle. A Legendary had rarely lost in the past, so it hadn't expected this to be possible, even now. In a way though, it was almost freeing. But at the same time, there were plenty of questions to be answered.

"I suppose I will wander for now. See what's changed since I last walked the planet. And maybe from there, I'll try to figure out what happened. Why I slept for so long, and from there...who knows. Find my sons? Find if other Legendaries suffered what I did? I do not know yet."

"If I am able to be suggesting…I would like to let you know not all Legendaries slept. Some have been active, including Swords of Justice. If you are able to find them, perhaps ask them?" Regigigas seemed to consider the idea. It certainly made sense to do, perhaps answers could be found and the golem might be able to adjust better with guidance from his fellow Legendaries.

"Thank you," Regigigas said. "I'll consider your advice as I continue my travels. Who knows, perhaps I shall see you once again. After having had such an invigorating battle, especially between old souls, I must say that it was...pleasing. More than you can realize, Ivan." The Legendary golem bowed, prompting Ivan to return the gesture. Ivan had to smile at this point, the entirety of the experience having caught up to him.

"Is funny, I had not expected mission to go quite like this," he said. "I expected better, and then I expected worse when seeing you. I know not what to say beyond thank you for your honorable nature. Is like you said, pleasing."

At this, Regigigas stood back up despite its injuries. It stretched its body, wincing at some of the damage brought on by their battle. The golem was grateful nothing was broken, as it knew it couldn't regenerate quite like Ivan had.

"I can understand that. I'm intimidating, I realize that. I have to be in my position," it said.

"I do believe I shall take my leave though. It may be night, but I know I have a lot of distance to cover and the sooner I get going, the better. Ivan, I wish you the best."

Regigigas' lights blazed to life as it slowly began trudging through the mountains. Ivan watched as the Legendary retreated into the night, its white body almost blending in with the snowy trees and mountains around it. The minor quaking of its steps seemed to fade as the golem left, and soon Ivan was left in silence. With a laugh, the Peacemaker fell onto his back. The energies he had absorbed for the battle leaked from his body, reducing his size and returning his power back to the earth. Within moments, exhaustion caught up with the ice type and he fell asleep in the snow.

* * *

It had been some time since the incident. On his return, Ivan had first stopped through the Frostbite Outpost to find Louis. The stoutland had actually heard from Regigigas itself about what had happened, and by the time Ivan made it back the normal type could only shake his head, pure disbelief still playing across his face.

"You just had to go and prove a pokémon wrong, didn't you?" he had asked.

"Of course. It would have looked poorly on me not to!" Ivan had laughed as he met up with the stoutland, but the two remained on good terms.

Afterwards, the abomasnow had reported to Union and was debriefed. There he had explained the extent of his mission. By that point however, Regigigas had long made its presence known after crossing through several towns in the north, eventually reaching some of the larger towns and cities. Thankfully things had been far less confrontational than they had been with Ivan, but it was all still a work in progress with the Legendary as it tried to adjust.

Ivan had since retired to his home in the tropics. Sure life had not been nearly as interesting since the mission, but that was retirement after all. It wasn't going to be full of excitement, it was supposed to be relaxing. Boring as well, he supposed. Though that wasn't a problem at the moment. For now, he had a guest.

"So he jus' walked away? No more fightin' or anythin'?" the haxorus asked, his mouth hanging open in awe.

"Is true! I could hardly believe myself!"

Ivan had been retelling his mission to Damon for the better part of an afternoon. Even though the Haxorus had heard of it through official reports, he had still wanted it straight from his friend. And so far, it was a better story than he could have realized. With a sigh though, the dragon leaned back in his chair, arms put behind his head.

"So even after all of that…I can't be bothered to convince ya still, yeh? You're still gonna stick to the retired life?"

"Damon, for last time -" Ivan began.

"Alright, alright!" Damon threw his arms up in defense. "I jus' figured I'd try to keep things interestin'. I know you love the job. But I know you wanna get out, too. So I tell ya what: enjoy your retirement. But if I need ya…come back and help. Can you promise an old friend that?"

"You are making this difficult, Damon," Ivan said as he placed a hand on his forehead. "Is not something I can do easily. You promised I was done, too."

"I understand."

"But, I am thinking that…yes, I can do that much."

Damon's face lit up at this. Jumping from his seat, he placed a paw on the abomasnow. "You won't ever be regrettin' this!"

"Dah, of course," Ivan waved his friend off, hoping now to just be left in peace. As much as he enjoyed the company of the haxorus, his friend could certainly be overbearing at times. He stood up and began to lead the dragon out of his home, desiring nothing more than peace and quiet.

"You'll be hearin' from me again! Count on it!" Damon said with a grin. Waving one last goodbye, the dragon shut the door behind him and left Ivan to stand there, contemplating what he had agreed to do.

Collapsing into his chair, the abomasnow pulled his hands down over his face as he groaned.

"Just what have I gotten into now?"

* * *

 **For anyone who happens to read this: thank you! This is the first time I have written in quite a few years, after the itch to create became too great to ignore. I hope this story is found to be enjoyable. Whether or not it is though, I would greatly appreciate any kind of feedback! I plan to write more one-shots and possibly short stories of a couple of chapters for the time being, so any criticism to help improve my writing would be welcome!**


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